Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-09-12


1t Is not in Vsin that the astute philoso-
pher realizes embry possibilities of
intellectual achievement, that never come
TO the birth here. 1t is not in vain that
the lofty ressoner feels that ne IS lust SD
preaching the true fruition OF his powers,
when ne must lie down in the seinbIance
Of death. 1t is not in vain that We
see the shining edges of trailing clouds
OF glory, whose bulk is hid from US
! by the grsve horizon. These pre-
monitions and adnonitions sre
but the esrthwerd end of s
divine thread thst reaches through the
valley Of the shadow of desth into the
broad avenues beyOnd-at once the guide
Of our footsteps ard the assurance Of the
far gosl to which it leads.
Christianity is the lamp CT rev latlon
that sheds its electric light on the thread
which cur fingers had cIutched in the
darkness, and enables US ID walk with
more assured step and tirmer tread. As
we open It's pages We he.r calling 10 Us
the voice Of One who has trodden the
pathway, gone through the valley, PISSED
the dividing line, ard now calls back 10
us, adding the experience az orc OF our
own race, one who has reached the inheri-
lance, to Tie instructive cries OF the heir
OF Immortality.
AS | listen thus to the combined voices
OF nature and revelation l see the horizon
ct the demands Of purpose in a true
manhood and W0manhOOd widening
around ne.
By common consent, he Who lives for
tomorrow is wiser and nObler than he
who lives only tor to-day, he who lives
for next year than he who lives for to-
morrow and he who lives for the whole
future Of life than ne Who lives for next
year. Shall the expanding thought stop
mere? Surely not He VINO lives for that
broad future which lies beyond the grave,
and before the grandeur OF whose i'm
menstty this life is but speck on me
far horizon, must surely be living the
Wisest and noblest life.
Il is but the pratiug Of silly fool, that
ignores the future in the face of I'll the
voices that attest it, eId i is but nar-
row aud childish COnCe p.j0n Of life thSt
excludes it from its purview.
A life purpose that has 10 reschinea
into the future is defective and unmanly,
and the more inexcussble because
Christianity synchron.Ze5 with eve17
worthy pursuit. Cf life.
In its commands and prohibitions
alike, il offers q helpful hand to all noble
ambitions, giving g sturdier strength for
their realization in positive precepts, and
removing serious hindrslCes by its prohi-
billions
The Christian purpose that takes hold
on the future life SIS its ultimate objective,
may thus be interviewer with the antlct-
pations and the purposes Of every occu-
patton in life, a golden thread shining
through warp end Wocf, and giving to
the fabric brilliancy that shall make il
worthy TO BE a kings garment
There is nothing that Christianity for
bids that IS not harmful 20 man in his
truest interests here. II f0roids thief.
and murder. The common sense OF
Humanity recognizes this as essential TO
security Of property and life, which are
equsllY essential to Intelligent aud trust
full ambitions.
1t fOrDidS falseh0od and dishonesty.
Who does not recognize that the cyclone
Of disaster that has swept over this land
in the last few yesrs you'd have been
largely averted had Christianity ruled in
business CirCiesI
1t forbidC GrUIkepnesg and debauchery
Do we need anything but to open our
eyes end look about as in the present,
and read the records Of the past, to real
lie thGt these two vices are the deadly
foes to the achievement Of all the noble
purposes that center even in this life?
The Grunkard and the Iibertine are the
loathsome scsbs OF society when they at-
tain their misunderstanding sores while
in progress.
The most brilliant genius is DaraITzed
by the domination of either Of these
vices, the finest intellect is clogged IN its
skyWard flights, the eagle that attempts
to soar with either of these serpents
twined about him, will sooner or later
drop from his noble flight, stung to the
heart by their fatal bite.
/, The ground Of Thoughtland gives hol-
low echoes to my tIeau, from the myriad
graves in which lie entOmbed noble az
ticipations and roysI purposes and
bright hopes that were slain by those
mental thugs, rum and lust. Hark to the
wall that comes down the corridor q
time,
Christianity forbids frivolity and self
ishness. Are not these the deadly foes
to the grand purposes of even the pres
ent life? When did the frivolous mau
ever become truly great? Aud now otter
has the selfish men learned that the wan
C6IGI lIOA LuC lOChCQ pudIbuA VI uU-
mainly becomes an easy prey to the enc
mics of our hope, and that the Wisest
self-seeking is that which seeks our OWL
interest in promoting that OF our neigh
bors. But l may not dwell further
upon details. These will illustrate the
thought, that an acceptance of Chrlsteir
ethicsIin matured purpose that embraces
the present and the trans sepulchfal fu
ture, can be only help TO the fuIdIIment
Of worthy purposes in this life.
We're we, therefore, to admit the posi-
bility that we are deceived by our hopes
and death is the end-alI, the most inveter-
ate infdel must edmit that the ot1er pos
sibility Is equal, viz; That death IS not
the erd-all, and Christiar.1y is a true rev
elation. Even in this ioW aspect, he who
becomes 8 vots1y of Christianity and
: obedient to ita oehests, occupies high
vantage ground.
He Ixses nothing that is valuable IL thG
= present, he works under better conditions
! Tor assured and worthy success in the fu
: ture of the present life, and holds
title deed 10 joys and at
tainments in the lrars-mundant
future which, If they be but possibilities
are the grandest ever presented to hu